


Surprise

by Morse_s Child (sherlockstummy)



Category: Inspector Morse (TV)
Genre: Birthday, Cute, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, idk - Freeform, might be pairing if you squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-03
Updated: 2015-08-03
Packaged: 2018-04-12 19:22:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4491711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sherlockstummy/pseuds/Morse_s%20Child
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Robbie Lewis' birthday! But it's not going to be different than any other day...right?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> Written as a gift for my lovely Butter. Happy birthday, dearie! (Note: Morse borrowed a line from the new Terminator film...hope nobody minds!)

It was the kind of warm summer day that Robbie actually liked. He wasn’t one to really mind the heat, but the day was just nicer if the heat wasn’t so oppressive. Today was a perfect summer day. The sun was shining, the birds were singing. It was really quite lovely.

“Happy birthday, Robbie!” Val greeted him as he came down the stairs, embracing him with a kiss. 

Robbie spun her around once, chuckling. “Is it that time of the year already? I forgot!”

Val gave him a look. “You forgot your own birthday?”

Robbie shrugged sheepishly to keep the joke going. You never really forget your own birthday, but it can come on in a rush and surprise you. He’d been so busy at work recently that dates and times had gotten away from him. 

“Daddy!” Jack and Lyn came rushing into the kitchen as Robbie was just sitting down to breakfast. They look up their customary sides, Lyn on his right, and Jack on his left. He put his arms around them and kissed them both.

“Hello, luvs. Did you have a good sleep?”

“Aye!” The children chorused. Both of their Northern accents had softened with their time in the South, but Lyn still had a bit of a twang. Robbie figured that was because she’d spent more time in the schools up North than her brother.

The kids each gave him homemade birthday cards and a kiss, wishing him an enthusiastic “Happy Birthday” before rushing off to catch the bus. Robbie finished up breakfast and kissed Val goodbye.

“I’ll try to get home on time today, luv.”

Val smiled and shoved him towards the door. “Oh, go on. Have fun.”

Robbie grinned.

He wasn’t expecting an out-of-the-ordinary day, although a few lads around the station remembered and wished him a happy birthday as he walked back towards Morse’s office. He wasn’t expecting much from his superior, though, and on the whole, was not disappointed.

About a minute after he’d sat down, Morse blew in through the door, armed as usual with the morning crossword. “What have we got, Lewis?”

“Morning, Sir.” Robbie couldn’t help hiding a smile; Morse’s habitual grumpiness amused him. 

Sure enough, the day went as usual. Morse and Lewis investigated a new case, and around lunchtime, Morse suggested they go to the pub. Robbie nodded; he wasn’t driving, and he could use a beer to celebrate.

When they got inside the pub, Robbie went to collect pints when Morse stopped him and, to Robbie’s surprise, pulled cash out of his pocket. “Here, Lewis.”

“Thanks, Sir.” Too stunned to say or do anything else, Robbie walked up to the ar and ordered pints as usual. To his even greater surprise, Morse had actually given him enough to pay for two pints. The surprise dizzied him, and when back at the table, he gulped at his beer, returning Morse’s change.

“Happy birthday, Lewis.”

The sentiment was softly, even warmly, spoken, and Robbie might’ve missed it in the pub noise. “Th-thank you, Sir.” He smiled shakily. Morse returned the smile (a bit shyly, Robbie thought) and resumed case talk, as usual.

The ride back was rather quiet until, surprisingly, Morse reached out. “Penny for your thoughts?”

Robbie started and turned from gazing out the window. “Uh, just…I didn’t expect you to remember…”

“I’m old, not obsolete, Lewis.” Morse quipped with a hint of grumpiness. (Though, that about passed as playful for him.)

Robbie chuckled. “I know that, Sir. It’s just…surprising, is all.”

“I’m quite good at remembering details,” Morse replied flippantly. “And, besides, I’m not heartless.”

“No matter how much you act like it?” Robbie almost bit his lip. Where had that come from?

But Morse, thankfully, laughed. “Fair enough. But no. I do care, Lewis.”

Robbie thought he caught Morse blushing. Politely, he changed the subject. “So, about the footprints, then.”

Morse seemed relieved. But Robbie felt just a little bit warmer inside for reasons he couldn’t quite explain.

Morse’s next bad mood was just a bit easier to take.


End file.
